Process and apparatus for separating liquids



31, 1935. .wf MQBLEY 2,025,883

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS Filed June 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gwvemtow Dec. 31 1935. w R. MOBLEY 4 25025383 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS Filed June 5, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wntoa Patented Dec. 31, 1935 T f I EROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS 14 Claims.

The invention consists in a method and apparatus for separating and regulating the discharge of liquids of different specific gravities.

A principal object of the invention is to separate liquids of difierent specific gravities and to regulate the discharge of each liquid to an amount substantially equal to its proportion in the mixture which is being separated, this being preferably done when the liquids are under a pressure which accelerates their flow, the result being a rapid and equable discharge of the separated liquids.

The mixture of two or more substances may be received under pressure, or it may be desired to apply pressure to accelerate the flow, but this is to be done in such manner or by such means as to cause the more rapid discharge of the fluid which is in greater proportion in the mixture and the less rapi discharge of the liquid which is in less proportion in the mixture.

If the mixture is under pressure the tendency is to discharge equal volumes of both fluids, but this tendency may be opposed by conditions which are partly or entirely overcome by my improvements.

In order to make the invention more clearly understood I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying it into practical effect, without limiting the invention to all of the details illustrated.

In said drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the regulating chamher, showing a modification of the regulating devices.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing another modification.

Referring to the drawings, l is a receiving .and

40 separating chamber into which flows, by the induction pipe 2 and under the desired pressure,

the mixture of fluids which it is desired to sepa-.

rate by aid of their different specific gravities.

For convenience I will describe the apparatus as used for the separation of oil .and water. The

chamber is closed by a top 3 tightly bolted thereto at This top is removable for cleaning and other purposes and in such case takes with it the other parts of the apparatus which are .at- 5 tached to said top.

It is often the case that the mixture treated contains more or less solid materials and impurities most of which separate by superior gravity when they can be disengaged from the liquid particles, and such disengagement is promoted by the friction against fixed surfaces or by the wash ing of one fluid against another, as shown in my applications hereinafter mentioned.

5 and are upper and lower spreader plates attached to the lower end of the pipe 2, between and against which the liquids begin to separate.

1 and 8 are respectively oil and water pipes or conduits attached to the top 3, the oil pipe leading from the upper part or" the chamber l and the water pipe leading from the lower part of the 10 chamber. The plane at which the bottom of the oil body 0. and the water body 10 meet is indicated by the line i and the level of this plane will vary according to the proportions of oil and water in the mixture. 15

Attached to the upper ends of the pipes l and 8 is a regulating chamber 9 divided by a partition 66 into an oil receptacle H into which the pipe '1 opens and a water receptacle 52 into which the pipe 8 opens. The respective levels of oil and water in these chambers being indicated, the level of the lighter liquid (oil) being higher than the level of the heavier liquid.

The discharge pipes for the oil and water respectively are shown at 3 and Id, leading from points below said liquid levels. These discharge pipes are attached to the removable top Id of the regulating chamber 9, which top is bolted to the chamber in anair-tight manner at 26. When the separator is in operation the entrance of the fluids from the chamber 5 will cause an air pressure in the upper part of the chamber 9 which will force said liquids up the pipes l3 and M to points of discharge into conduits (not shown).

I will now describe the means whereby the operation of the separator and discharge of the lighter and heavier fluids is regulated according to the proportions of said fluids in the mixture which is treated.

Eli is an eduction valve for closing and open- 40 ing, more or less, the oil discharge pipe l3, and i8 is a, similar valve in the water pipe i i. The construction and arrangement of these valves is such that they are balanced and not affected by the air or fluid pressures; that is to say, said pressures do not tend to move the valves. Said valves may be independent of each other or connected, the latter arrangement beingshown in Fig. 1. i9 is a rod attached to said valves, by the movement of which the valve I! may be caused to close the oil discharge pipe, or the valve 53 toelese the water discharge pipe. At a median position both of said valves are sum ciently open to allow a normal discharge from each pipe. 28, 2i indicate floats in the oil and 55 water respectively and vertically adjustable on rods 22, 23, as by nuts 24. These floats are of proper weight to operate the valves when the oil or water subsides or rises. Said rods are attached to a lever 25 pivoted at 216 to a support 21 fixed to the top l5. Said lever has a vertical slotted arm '28 which will oscillate sidewise with movements of said floats. A projection is on the rod I9 fits loosely in the slot of the arm 28 and communicates the movements of the floats to the valves I1, I8.

The arrangement is such that if the oil and Water levels rise and fall at their normal distance apart the floats will not affect said valves. If the oil level rises unduly the oil eduction valve l'i will be opened more and the water valve more or quite closed, thereby increasing the discharge of oil. If the water level rises unduly the water eduction valve 18 will be opened more and the oil valve ll more or quite closed, thereby increasing the discharge of water. If either level falls unduly reverse operations to those described will take place. It will be understood that by the nuts 24 the floats may be adjusted to their respective proper levels on the rods 22 and '23.

For these purposes any suitable construction of valves can be employed, and other actuating means than that illustrated may be used. In place of the tank 1 the constructions of tank shown in my application for patent Ser. No. 416,- M2 or Ser. No. 510,643 may be employed.

Under pressure solid impurities are more readily separated from the mixture and from either fluid, and this separation of solids takes place readily at or near the plane where the bottom of the oil and top of the water contact, at which plane there is or may be a kind of emulsion. The pressure referred to may be caused by the considerable height of the apparatus and the distance of the discharges l3, [4 above the induction 2 through which the mixture will be forced, or drawn (by suction at the discharge) into the apparatus.

In cases where a suiflcient quantity of gas is evolved from the fluid mixture, as may be the case where the fluid from oil wells is being separated, pressure from said gas, collected in the chamber 9, may be used in place of air pressure to discharge the separated liquids through the pipes l3 and 14.

One float, operating in the oil or in the water may be employed. In Fig. 2 Ihave shown such a construction, wherein the float Zia is located in the heavier liquid and operates the oil valve H and water valve 18, in the manner above de scribed. In case the level of the water rises unduly the float 2la will cause the water valve to be opened wider and the oil valve to be more or less closed.

The float might be located in the oil in the chamber H, in which case an undue height of such oil would raise the float and open wider the oil valve l1 and close more or less the water valve I8, and a subsidence of the float would close the oil valve and open the water valve.

By means of. this invention I can clarify lighter liquids when combined with heavier liquids and separate and remove the solids and emulsions from the lighter liquid and discharge them with the heavy liquid.

I can also retain the meeting plane of the liquids in the process of separation at substantially the horizontal center of the receiving chamber and control the discharge of the liquids under pressure after separation in substantially the same volume as the lighter and heavy liquids admitted.

If the bottom level of the lighter liquid in the receiving chamber isat the level indicated and the top level of the heavy liquid is as shown, the lighter liquid level in the control chamber 9 will be slightly higher than the heavy liquid level in the opposite side of the control chamber. If the float or floats are adjusted to the levels of the liquids in the control chamber, each float half submerged, the desired quantity of .each liquid is retained in the receiving chamber and the valves are substantially half open in both discharge pipes. Then should heavy and light liquid be forced into the receiving chamber in substantially the same proportions the quantity of light and heavy liquids in the receiving chamber would remain the same, and quantities of substantially the same volume as the incoming liquids would be discharged from their respective discharge pipes. Should the incoming volume of liquid now be changed to heavy liquid only, the flow in the heavy liquid control chamber would be increased, which would balance the gas or air pressure in the control chamber with the lighter and heavier liquid chambers, which would retard the flow of the lighter liquid and cause the receiving chamber to retain more heavy liquid than light liquid, and when the difference in the weights of the two liquids in the receiving chamber should vary sufficiently the heavy liquid level in the control chamber would rise and the lighter liquid would be lowered, which would cause the floats to close the discharge port for the light liquid and open full the discharge port for the heavy liquid. Now should a quantity of light liquid be passed into the receiving chamber l with the heavy liquid, the quantity of light liquid would gradually increase and the heavy liquid decrease in the receiving chamber, which would lower the level of the heavy liquid in the control chamber and. increase the level of the light liquid in the control chamber suflicient to open the discharge valve for the light liquid. Now should the heavy liquid being passed into the control chamber be changed to light liquid the quantity of light liquid in the receiving chamber would increase and the quantity of heavy liquid would decrease, until the level of the light liquid increased in the control chamber and the heavy liquid decreased in the control chamber, causing the float or floats to close the valve regulating the discharge of the heavy liquid and open full the valve for the discharge of the light liquid.

It will be understood that the pipes 1 and 8 need not extend above the bottom of the chamber 9, the chambers H and I2 forming the top portions of the oil and water columns.

In Fig. 2 I have also shown means for the escape of gas so that accumulated pressure thereof will not force the liquid levels below the bottom ends of the discharge pipes l3, I4. 30 is a float connected by a rod 3| with a gas escape valve 32 mounted in a valve casing and seat 33 at the top of the chamber 9. When the liquid in which the float 30 swims is too much depressed by gas pressure within said chamber the float will subside and draw the valve 32 downward from its seat and allow gas to escape through the seat 33 and permit the liquid level to rise again, whereupon the valve becomes reseated.

Escaping gas may be collected from the pipe 34 leading from the valve seat. The float 30 may be arranged in either the oil or water column.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated the arrangement of the the upper part of the water pipe 8 so as to close the water valve and open the oil valve when the water level subsides, and open the water valve and close the oil valve when the water level rises. In this construction the vertical arm is not slotted because the small rod l9 will yield a little vertically to permit the pivot therein to describe an arc.

The gas escape means shown in Fig. 2 may be embodied in the constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In some cases practically all of the heavier solids will be collected in the bottom of the tank I and carried away with the water through the pipe 8, but some solids may remain around the bottom of the tank remote from the pipe 8, and these may be removed when necessary through the liquid-tight door (2.

What I claim is:

1. The method of separating liquids of different specific gravities, which consists in separating said liquids into two columns having their tops side by side, and discharging them separately and constantly, and lessening or increasing the obstructions to their respective discharges and proportioning the discharge of each liquid according to its proportion in the mixture of the liquids by causing a relative increase in the height of one liquid to progressively increase the discharge of that liquid and to decrease the discharge of the other liquid.

2. The method of separating liquids of different specific gravities which consists in separating said liquids and discharging them constantly and separately, and increasing or decreasing the obstruction to discharge and limiting or promoting the discharge of either separated liquid according to the top level of the other of the separated liquids.

3. The method of separating liquids of different specific gravities, which consists in separating said liquids under pressure and discharging them constantly and separately, and proportioning the discharge opening for each liquid according to its proportion in the mixture which is separated, by causing a relative increase in the height of the oil to progressively increase the oil discharge and diminish the water discharge, and causing a relative increase in the height of the water to increase the water discharge and diminish the oil discharge.

4. The method of separating liquids of difierent specific gravities, which consists in separating said liquids under pressure and discharging them constantly and separately, and limiting the discharge opening for either separated liquid according to the top level of the other of the separated liquids, by causing a relative increase in the height of the oil to progressively increase the oil discharge and diminish the water discharge, and causing a relative increase in the height of the water to increase the water discharge and diminish the oil discharge.

5. The method of separating liquids of differlighter liquid, continuously discharging both of said liquids when said columns are of normal relative heights, and promoting and limiting the discharge of the respective liquids from the upper parts of said columns according to substantially the respective volumes of said liquids in the mixture, by causing a relative increase in the height of the oil to progressively increase the oil discharge and diminish the water discharge, and causing a relative increase in the height of the water to increase the water discharge and diminish the oil discharge.

6. In a liquid separating apparatus the cgmbination of liquid-containing means forming a head of lighter liquid and a separate head of heavier liquid, said heads being in proximity and of such heights as are determined by the respective gravities of the liquids, valves regulating the exit flows of the separated liquids, and constantly buoyant floats resting on said liquid heads, and means whereby said floats have conjointly a controlling effect on both of said valves.

7. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of separate chambers in which the separated liquids are collected, eduction means from said chambers, valves for controlling the eduction means, constantly buoyant floats for operating said valves by the aid of the respective heights of the separated liquids, means for collecting a body of gas above the surface of one or both of said liquids, escape means for said gas, and devices for opening said escape means when the surface of the liquid is depressed below a certain level.

8. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of means for separating a mixture of lighter and heavier liquid into separate bodies of lighter liquid and heavier liquid respectively, and means including constantly buoyant floats which follow upward separately the tops of said bodies of liquid for lessening and increasing the discharge of each liquid according to the height of one of said liquids, and liquid discharge valves connected with said floats.

9. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of separate chambers in which the separated liquids are collected, eduction means from said chambers, valves for opening and closing said eduction means for both of said liquids, and devices including constantly buoyant floats which follow upward separately the tops of said bodies of liquid for operating said valves by the aid of the height of one of the separated liquids.

10. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of separate chambers in which the separated liquids are collected, eduction means from said chambers, valves for controlling said eduction means said valves being connected for simultaneous operation, and constantly buoyant floats connected with said valves, the floats being operated by the respective heights of the separated liquids.

11. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of separate chambers in which the separated liquids are collected, eduction means from said chambers, valves for controlling said eduction means, a constantly buoyant float for operating said valves by the aid of the height of a separated liquid, means for collecting a body of gas above the surface of one or both of said liquids, escape means for said gas, and devices for opening said escape means when the surface of the liquid is depressed below a certain level. V 12. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of separate chambers in which the separated liquids are collected, eduction pipes leading from the lower parts of said chambers, valves for controlling said eduction means, a constantly buoyant float for operating said valves by the aid of the height of one of the separated liquids, means for collecting a body of gas above the surface of one or both of said liquids, escape means for said gas, and devices for opening said escape means when the surface of the liquid is depressed below a certain level.

- 13. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of means for holding a column of lighter liquid and a column of heavier liquid with their lower parts in contact, a regulating chamber enclosing the separated tops of said columns, dis charge means and a controlling valve for the discharge means of each of said columns, floats lifted by said columns respectively, and means connecting said floats with said valves for opening procolumn which increases in height.

14. In a liquid-separating apparatus the combination of means for holding a column of lighter liquid and a column of heavier liquid with their lower parts in contact, a regulating and gas pressure chamber enclosing the separated tops of said columns, discharge means leading from said columns below their tops, and a controlling valve for the discharge means of each of said columns, floats lifted by said columns respectively, and means connecting said floats with said valves for opening progressively for more free discharge the valve of a column which increases in height.

WILLIAM R. MOBLEY. 

